CHAPTER 111
HIS BROTHERS
AND
HIS CHILDREN
His Brothers
As for the Ima`m's relationship with his brothers, it was very strong. Love and familiarity prevailed. It was far from bitter obscene language. It was said to him:Which of your brothers is the most lovabl you?
He, peace be on him, replied that he did not discriminate against anyone of them and that he loved them all and was loyal to them all. He said:
As for 'Abd Allah, he is my hand with which I assault.1 As for 'Umar, he is me eye through which I see. As for al-Husayn, he is clement. He walks calmly on the earth. When the ignorant address
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1. 'Abd Allah was Imam al-Baqir's full brother.
them, they say: greetings.1
The Ima`m's brothers had all the noble qualities such as piety, God-fearingness, and righteousness. Their father, Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, fed them from his guidance and bestowed on them rays from his soul. Thus, the rays enlightened their hearts through the true Islam and the true belief. Now, we will give a brief idea about their affairs:
Zayd the Martyr
As for Zayd the martyr, he filled the world with his knowledge and his outstanding qualities. He was among the notables of the Prophet's family who raised Allah's Words high in the earth and sacrificed their souls for Allah to establish Islamic justice, to repeat the Koranic government among people, and to end the social oppression which the Umayyad regime spread among the people. Now, we will mention some of his life and his affairs.His Birth
Zayd the martyr was born in the year 78 A. H.2 It was said that he was born in the year 75 A. H.3 When his father, Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, was given good news, he took the Holy Koran and opened it. Thus, the holy verse appeared: "Surely Allah has bought of the believers their souls and their property for this, that they shall have the garden.4 He closed the Koran and then he opened it again, so this verse appeared: "And reckon not those who are killed in Allah's way as dead; nay they are alive (and) are provided sustenance from their lord.5 He closed the Koran and opened it, so this verse appeared: "Allah has made the strivers with their property and their____________
1. Safinat al-Bihar, vol. 2, p. 273.
2. Ibn 'Asakir, al-Tahdhib, vol. 6, p. 18.
3. Al-Had'iq Al-Wardiya, vol. 1, P. 143.
4. Koran, 9, 111.
5. Koran 3, 169.
souls to excel the holders back a (high) degree. 1
The Ima`m was dazzled and began saying:
I have been condoled concerning this boy. Surely he will be among the martyrs.2
The Ima`m, peace be on him, predicted the martyrdom and told his companions about it. Thus, they had no doubt about that.
His Early Life
Zayd grew up in the Houses of Prophethood and of the Ima`mate. His father, Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, who was the best human being during his time, fed him with the essence of wisdom. He took care of his manners. He drew the way of guidance and good for him. He affected his behavior. Thus, his father's bright habits were impressed in his mind. The historians said: "Zayd's most prominent qualities were asceticism, piety, and conforming to the religion. He did not follow the leadership of himself. Rather he preferred the pleasure and obedience of Allah to all things.From his childhood, Zayd had a close relationship with his brother al-Baqir who was the successor and trustee of his father and the inheritor of his knowledge. It is natural that this relationship had a great effect on his behavior and his character. That is because his behavior and his character were similar to those of his grandfathers whom Allah purified from uncleanliness and made far from them the sins of this world.
His Worship and his Piety
Zayd was loyal to Allah in worship and turned to Him in repentance. ''Asim b. 'Ubayd al-'Umari said: "When Zayd was a young man in Medina, I saw him praise Allah to the extent that he____________
1. Koran, 2, 95.
2. Al-Roud al-Nadir, vol. 1, p. 52.
fainted. Thus, the people said that he would not come back to this world.1 With the people of Medina, he was known as the Ally of the Koran.2 The prostration (in prayer) affected his face3 because of his many prayers during whole the night.4 With his sentiments and his feelings, he turned his face toward Allah. Moreover, he followed everything that brought him near Allah in station.
His Knowledge and his Literature
Zayd was among the prominent scholars of his time. He was an encyclopedia of traditions, jurisprudence, the explanation (of the Koran), language, literature, and theology. Ja`bir asked Ima`m Mohammed al-Ba`qir, peace be on him, about Zayd. He, peace be on him, replied: "You asked me about a man who is full of belief and knowledge from the ends of his hair to his foot. 5He, peace be on him, said: "Indeed Zayd was given abundant knowledge.6 Zayd talked about his vast knowledge and education when he prepared himself toclead the community and to revolt against the Umayyad government. He said:
"By Allah, I did not go out nor did I make this uprising of mine till I have read the Koran, mastered the religious duties, have command of the sunna (the Prophet's practices), and morals, known the interpretation as I have known the Koran, understood the abrogating (verse) and the abrogated, the specific and general, the clearly defined and the ambiguous, and the necessary needs of the community. Indeed I know my Lord clearly.7
Surely Zayd was among the most prominent jurists and among
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1. Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, p. 128.
2. Ibid, p. 130.
3. Ibid, p. 128.
4. Al-Khara'ijj wa al-Jara'ih, p. 328.
5. Imam Zayd, Muqaddamat al-Musnad, p. 8.
6. Ibid, p. 7.
7. Al-Maqrizi, Al-Khutat wa al-Athar, vol. 2, p. 440.
the greatest reporters of tradition. He learned his knowledge from his father, Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him, and from his brother, Ima`m al-Ba`qir, peace be on him, who split open knowledge as his grandfather, the Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said. They fed him with all kinds of knowledge. Moreover, he learned from them the principles and branches of the thought and the explanation (of the Koran). Thus, he was among the first-class figures in his outstanding merits and knowledge.
Al-Shahristani thought that Zayd studied under Wa`sil b. 'Ata`' and learned al-i'tiza`l (seclusion) from him. He said: "He (Zayd) wanted to know the principles and the branches to be endowed with knowledge, so he learned the principles from Wa`sil b. 'Ata`', the head of the Mu`tazilites. Worth mentioning, Wa`sil b. 'Ata`' thought that Zayd's grandfather, 'Ali b. Abi Ta`lib, peace be on him, was not sure of correctness during his battles against the Companions of the Camel and the Syrians and that one of the two parties was wrong. For this reason, Zayd learned al-i'tiza`l (seclusion) from him. 1
This idea is incorrect, for Zayd did not take his religious knowledge from Wa`sil. Rather he learned it from his father and his brother, who enlightened the scientific intellectual life of Islam.
The jurists and the heads of the Islamic Schools took their religious knowledge directly from the Ima`ms of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, or from one of their students. So, why would Zayd go to Wa`sil to take knowledge from him?2 Shaykh Abu` Zahra said: "Zayd met Wa`sil to debate with him. He was not his student, for they were of the same age. Zayd was grown-up. "He added: "Zayd learned the branches of the rules from his family. That was in Medina, the cradle of the science of the branches.3
Zayd learned his religious knowledge from his father and his brother. He was among the prominent jurists during his time. Abu` Kha`lid al-Wa`sity reported a group (of traditions) on his authority.
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1. Al-Milal wa al-Nihal, vol. 2, p. 208.
2. Wafayat al-A'yan, vol. 5, p. 60.
3. Mohammed Abu Zahra, Imam Zayd, p. 225.
They are about jurisprudence such as worships and transactions. He called them 'Musnad Ahmed'. We have mentioned the criticisms of this book in our study on the beliefs of the Zaydis.
As for Zayd's literary position, he was among the first-class in literature and eloquence. He was similar to his grandfather, the Commander of the Faithful, peace be on him, in eloquence.1 The historians said: "Zayd debated upon a bequest with Ja'far b. al-Hasan. When they debated upon the bequest with each other, the people overcrowded around them to hear their debate. The people memorized and wrote Ja'far's and Zayd's words. Then they learned them as they learned the obligatory religious duties, rare poetry, and proverbs. 2Sibawayh quoted Zayd's poetry. Zayd's opponent, Hisha`m the tyrant, acknowledged his literary abilities and his skillful speech. He said: "Zayd has a sweet tongue and a strong style. He is appropriate for hiding the speech. 3History and literature books are full of his wonderful wise sayings, which are among eloquent Arabic speech.
Imam al-Ba`qir admired Zayd
Ima`m al-Ba`qir, peace be on him, revered and admired his brother, Zayd. He showed the deepest affection and the sincerest love towards him. That is because Zayd was among the peerless men and was a living example of unique heroism. The historians reported examples of that affection and admiration. The following are some of them:1. Ima`m al-Ba`qir said: "Indeed, Zayd, the mother who bore you was highborn. O Allah, strengthen my back by Zayd.4 This indicates that the Ima`m revered and admired his brother, Zayd.
2. Sudayr al-Sayrafi reported: "I (Sudayr) was with Abu` Ja'far al-Ba`qir, peace be on him. Suddenly, Zayd b. 'Ali entered. Abu` Ja'far
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1. Al-Hada'iq al-Wardiya, vol. 1, 144.
2. Zahr al-Adab, vol. 1, p. 87.
3. Al-Ya'qubi, Tarikh, vol. 2, p. 390.
4. 'Umdatu al-Talib, vol. 2, p. 127.
patted him on the back and said to him: 'This is the Lord of the Ha`shimites. When he orders you, then obey him. When he asks you for the support, then support him.1 This indicates that the Ima`m summoned (the people) to support and defend him. He also regarded his uprising as legal.
3. The historians reported on the authority of a man from the Ha`shimites, who said: "We were sitting with Mohammed (al-Ba`qir) b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn. His brother, Zayd, was also sitting. Then a man from Ku`fa came in. Mohammed b. 'Ali said to the man: 'You narrate original poetry. What did al-Ansa`ri say to his brother?'"The man recited for the Ima`m some lines of poetry having noble qualities.
Abu` Ja'far (al-Ba`qir) put his hand on Zayd's shoulder and said to him: "My brother, these are your qualities. I ask Allah to protect you so as not to be killed in Iraq.2
The above-mentioned lines denote that Zayd had a strong will and resolution. He was obedient to his brother. His qualities were noble. He was appropriate for carrying out great tasks. Nobody has such qualities but the matchless ones.
Imam al-Ba`qir, peace be on him, gave the highest qualities to his brother and granted him his loyal love. The factor of brotherhood did not motivate al-Ba`qir to treat his brother in such a way. That is because his spiritual position did not permit him to follow sentiments and desires. Rather he thought that his brother was among the most perfect human beings. So, he granted him such love and honor.
